From Broken Family to Life Winner: A Reborn Mother's Journey

Dengue fever is a self-limiting infectious disease. For patients without complications, the illness typically lasts about ten days. The prognosis is generally good, and its mortality rate is very low compared to other infectious diseases.

It isn’t as terrifying as other infectious diseases, but if it isn’t diagnosed and treated in time, or if the treatment is improper, the patient can easily be put in danger. The consequences become severe once complications arise.

Even in later generations, there was no definitive cure for dengue fever; treatment mainly consisted of supportive and symptomatic care.

Before she was reborn, Su Li had covered related news stories, so she clearly remembered the characteristics of dengue fever and the necessary precautions for treatment.

She remembered one point particularly well: ’use pain relievers and fever reducers with caution.’ She couldn’t quite recall what specific problems would arise, but she was absolutely certain that careless use would be dangerous.

Before this, Little Tang Mo had already been given too many fever reducers, one after another. Su Li was afraid that problems would arise.

”Ma’am, please don’t be scared or nervous. As long as we treat the symptoms, this illness isn’t too dangerous. I’ll take good care of Little Mo.”

Little Tang Mo’s condition wasn’t critical. The one in real danger was the child who had just been sent away.

Improper treatment could be fatal.

Su Li focused on cooling Little Tang Mo down and rehydrating him, then went to make some congee to give him nourishment.

She had no idea that a storm was brewing outside.

Yang Xiangyun did relay the message to the doctor for Su Li as promised, but she didn’t convey it clearly or cautiously. Instead, she brought it up in a complaining manner.

And she did it right in front of the patient’s family.

The mother, already so anxious about her child’s persistent illness that she’d developed sores on her lips, cried out the moment she heard the words ”infectious disease.”

”Impossible! It can’t be an infectious disease! Don’t scare me like that!”

Doctor Yang did his best to placate her and managed to calm her down for the time being.

But after they left, the child’s vomiting didn’t stop, and the words ’infectious disease’ weighed heavily on her heart.

Ever since Teachers’ Day, children in the family compound had been falling ill one after another, and later, adults started getting sick too. Lights burned all night in more than half the compound’s homes, making the night as bright as day.

In the middle of the night, many of the mothers in the compound were consumed by panic over an ”infectious disease.”

As dawn approached, Su Li, who had dozed off for a moment while sitting by the bed, was jolted awake by a heavy pounding on her door.

Startled, she checked Little Tang Mo, who was still feverish, and hurried to get the door.

When Su Li opened the door, she was met by a group of impatient, accusatory mothers, as well as Doctor Yang and Yang Xiangyun, who both wore expressions of weary exasperation.

”Su Li, were you the one who said our children have a fatal infectious disease?”

Before Su Li could even figure out what was happening, the accusation was thrown in her face.

”Doctor Yang said the children just have colds. We got scared when we heard you talking about an infectious disease, so we came to get a clear answer from you.”

The group of mothers looked agitated, barely managing to explain their reasons for being there.

Doctor Yang stood to the side and nodded, his expression grim.

There’s nothing a doctor hates more than a patient who distrusts their expertise. Su Li hadn’t explicitly said he was incompetent, but for her, a layperson, to make such claims was tantamount to questioning his medical authority.

Doctor Yang had been a physician his entire life and was confident in his skills. He was already on edge from being overworked with so many patients recently.

Coupled with Yang Xiangyun’s emotionally charged report, his first instinct was to react with annoyance and opposition.

If the mothers hadn’t kept asking questions and causing a stir, the matter might have blown over. But it didn’t.

”I came with them because I want to ask you to your face: Have you ever studied medicine? Or which doctor gave you this diagnosis?”

Su Li frowned, taking in their accusatory stance.

”Doctor Yang, I haven’t studied medicine, and no doctor gave me a diagnosis. But I have previously studied the symptoms and progression of dengue fever in detail. I’m not spouting nonsense.”

Su Li soberly recounted her earlier observations.

”...Most of the people in town are sick as well, which I suspect is related to those dead pigs. Dengue fever is transmitted by mosquito bites, and there have been far more mosquitoes around the compound these past few days...”

Su Li had just reached this point when one of the agitated mothers cut her off.

”Mosquitoes? Are you saying mosquitoes spread the disease? You can get infected just from a mosquito bite?”

They didn’t understand anything about ”dengue fever,” but they understood one thing: you could get sick from a mosquito bite.

The thought was terrifying.

Su Li nodded. ”Yes. Please, calm down and listen. Although dengue fever is an infectious disease, as long as...”

She explained everything carefully, then turned to look at Doctor Yang.

”Doctor Yang, you must have considered this already. Do you think it could be dengue fever?”

’Although I’m almost certain,’ Su Li thought, ’I’m not a professional doctor. This needs a doctor’s confirmation. People will believe a doctor.’

’This also needs to come from a doctor to be taken seriously, so we can start prevention, control, and treatment as soon as possible to avoid a massive outbreak.’

’We’re not far from the Imperial City. If it spreads there, it’ll be a catastrophe. The population in the Imperial City is so dense, if it reaches that place...’

Su Li shook her head imperceptibly, her eyes fixed on Doctor Yang.

Doctor Yang gave Su Li a dark look and slowly shook his head.

”My previous diagnoses were correct.”

Su Li’s brow furrowed. ’Dengue fever is admittedly difficult to diagnose, since its symptoms are easily confused with other illnesses.’

She thought for a moment and was about to speak, but Doctor Yang simply turned and walked away.

”Doctor, wait!” Su Li said anxiously. ”Dengue fever is easily mistaken for other illnesses...”

Doctor Yang spun around. ”Are you questioning me?”

Su Li shook her head. ”No, it’s just that this is...”

”If not questioning me, then what? You’re Su Li, aren’t you? Yes, you’re a university student, the famed prodigy of the compound, everyone knows that. But treating patients is my profession. No matter how brilliant you are, you can’t have taught yourself medicine well enough to question me, can you?”

Doctor Yang’s face was flushed with anger.

”In front of everyone, I’m telling you, Su Li, my diagnosis is not wrong. I will absolutely not make a misdiagnosis!”

The commotion so early in the morning had already drawn attention. After Doctor Yang’s roar, people from half the compound either gathered closer or watched from a distance.

Doctor Yang scanned the crowd. ”I’ve been a doctor for half my life! I’ve treated so many people here. I can’t guarantee my skills are the best, but I have never once made a misdiagnosis!”

He said, his voice firm as steel, ”The patient sent away late last night was a special case whose condition deteriorated. I am sorry about that. But you can’t use that as an excuse to tell me how to do my job and spread rumors to incite panic!”

”Before you even came back, I had already cured several patients! Their fevers broke. You can ask anyone here!”

Hearing Doctor Yang say this, the crowd immediately began to nod.

”That’s right. Doctor Yang has been treating us here for so many years. We trust him.”

”Doctor Yang has been my doctor since I was a little kid. I believe him too.”

Yang Xiangyun listened and nodded, then stepped forward to address Su Li. ”Ma’am, we know you mean well, but please don’t say things that cause such a panic. Everyone is already scared.”

’Her words made it sound as if I were just trying to stir up trouble.’